Walk This Way

Since mom got back from her trip to Indy to visit the Sibs, we've been getting up at (gulp!) 6 am each morning and walking up and down the road in front of the house. The four of us are going to go to England next June and we all, but mostly mom, needs to increase our strength and stamina.

It's been surprisingly easy to get up and walk, since there is someone to walk with. My alarm was always set for 6 am anyway. I just either hit the snooze a few times, or got up and farmed until it was time to go to work. So now, whichever one gets up first feeds the cats while the sluggard (yes, lately it's been me, but I have a good excuse, I've been working OT!), scurries around and gets her shoes on.

We chose early in the morning because the other option was after I get home from work and sometimes I'm home at 6 pm, sometimes (like last night…sigh..) I'm home at 8:15 pm. Plus, either way, I'm generally too pooped to … walk by that time of day. Plus, at 6 am there is very little traffic to worry about, and it's cooler and slightly less humid. This morning, though, it was pretty darned chilly! Almost wish I'd worn something heavier than the shorts I had on. Ya gotta love them "cold" fronts in the summer time!

Living out in the country, as we do, we also get to see a variety of flora.. or is it fauna.. well, both, really. One morning we saw Rocky the Raccoon down in the creek. Obviously, he was taking a break from his thieving ways in regard to Merle's Meow Mix! Stinkin' raccoon! Another morning we saw a Canadian goose fly down to the road then, as we trotted closer, lift off and fly away. There are two houses on the opposite side of the creek and one of them has two dogs – don't know what kind. One looks beagle-ish. I call him Sparky. Don't know either of their names, but every so often, one or both of them will join us on our walk. Yesterday Sparky walked us almost all the way home. Fortunately he didn't come up into the yard and scare Merle.

Speaking of Merle, this past Sunday morning, he followed me and mom to the road and sat there, about a foot into the road, at the top of the hill and watched us as we walked down and back. He was still there, waiting for us to return, as we breathed heavily back up the hill. He's a good boy.

Jason

I found this comic a couple of months ago, and planned on attaching it to a blog entry in which Jason, the GPS, played a part.  As I previously mentioned, I gave Jason to Haley since my iPhone will have GPS capability when I ultimately get it.  So I attach the comic now as a fond farewell to Jason.

iPhone, Therefore I Am, But Not Quite Yet

I have decided to do the adult thing and wait until November to get my iPhone.  (This doesn't mean that I might not find myself in an AT&T Store tomorrow getting my phone, but as of right now…)    I am not eligible for a phone upgrade until November and therefore, if I get the phone now, I'll have to pay $200 more than I would if I waited until November.  Now the kid in me that wants frosting says, but it's birthday money that's paying for the phone, so I'd only have to cover what the birthday fundage didn't cover.  But the adult says that the birthday money can go elsewhere and the Christmas money can just pay for the phone, with me not having to cover any of it.   The kid in me also points out that I already gave Jason, the GPS to Haley, so now I'll be without GPS.  The adult points out that I have no plans of going anywhere that I don't already know how to get to between now and November anyway, so no big deal.   The kid in me points out that starting in July, I would be able to do FarmVille on the phone.  The adult points out that the kid already spends far too much time farming on the computer and doesn't really need the phone to pharm.   The kid in me really hates the adult.  The adult isn't too keen on the kid.    The kid in me wants to know what that birthday money is going to go for… bills!?  The adult is sick and tired of the kid's whining and is considering putting the kid in military school for the next five months.   The kid is tired and grumpy and wants a cookie and a nap.  The adult is totally on board with the kid on this point.  I'm going to go get us an Oreo.

Just Another Saturday...

Yesterday, I drove up to Terrible Haute and met the Sibs, Mom and Niece #2, Natalie, for lunch. Then we did a switcheroo and I brought Mom back home with me. All in all a nice day. But THANK GOD for the person who invented air conditioning!

Anyway, I have a couple of pics to share.

First, Haley:

Haley has a smoking problem...candy cigarettes, that is. tee hee!

Next: my birthday coffee mug (or hot cocoa mug, if you will) from Holly - Sophie is checking it out to make sure it's safe for me.

The next two photos are of items that Natalie has made or finished for me. First, the pillows, I was (really, I was) going to make them myself, but Nat came down to visit, and she brought her sewing machine and...

Second, we have a wooden cat puzzle that Dad cut out of wood for me, but then I never got around to painting, and then mom gave all of the paint supplies to Holly, so Nat took it and painted it for me. She did a very nice job on both projects.

Father’s Day Gift Suggestions

Ok, last night, as I was driving home, I was listening to the radio – an unusual occurrence, as I generally listen to an audio book on my iPod, but I had just finished the book I was listening to, and wasn't prepared to decide which audio book to start next while I was driving – that's a major decision. Where was I? Oh, yes, I was listening to the radio and a commercial came on for a tattoo parlor in town that is having a "Grand Opening" this weekend. As the commercial washed over me, it mostly went in one ear and out the other until the words "great Father's Day gift idea" and "give Dad a gift card" stopped inside my brain like a semi truck's tires squealing to stop for a red light on the Expressway. I took a moment to imagine my father's reaction if I were to have given him a gift card to a tattoo parlor for Father's Day… or at any time, really. I always considered him to be the most difficult person to buy gifts for, with a close second being Steve, Boss #1. But a tattoo parlor gift card? Not that he'd have to use it for a tattoo. They also do piercings. Dad didn't react horribly when I came home from Charleston with five jewel-toned cat paws on my right shoulder. In fact he was mostly inquisitive about if it hurt and what it was like. But I was 40 years old at the time; what was he going to do? Ground me? And besides they are awfully cute. Of course, I don't have to worry about gift ideas for Father's Day this year. I don't know why, but Dad has been present in my dreams a lot lately - more so than in the previous6-9 months. It may be because we're coming up on the anniversary of his death, or because Father's Day is coming up. A woman in the office, she's a sweetie, wouldn't purposely say anything to hurt anyone, was talking about how she was going to take her father to a concert for Father's Day – some country singer who's like 100 years old – I can't recall who – and it was going to be quite a sacrifice for her because she doesn't like country music, but she was doing it for her dad and she knew he'd enjoy it. After she wondered off from our area, she quickly came back apologizing to me and Julie. Neither of us knew why, so we asked. She said she just realized she was rambling on about her dad and Father's Day when it occurred to her that we'd both lost our fathers a year ago this July. I couldn't speak for Julie, but I assured her that it hadn't bothered me and that there was no need to apologize. I don't just sit morosely thinking about Dad. He wouldn't have wanted me to. I do miss him, though. Especially anytime mom says, "Surely, …" Because Dad loved to respond with "Don't call me Shirley" from Airplane. Or there were plenty of lines from the old Stan Freberg comedy albums I grew up listening to that he'd come out with, expecting Mom to respond with her line –which she'd flub up, and then he and I would shake our collective heads at her and laugh. Mom was Dad's straight man… now she's mine. Fortunately for her, or she might say UNfortunately, when it comes to me and Dad's sense of humor and quick wit, we are two peas in a pod. As I said, Dad has been in my dreams a lot lately. Not that I'm dreaming about him per se. I have the type of dreams where I'm doing something and people from all places and times of my life just happen to be there… could be my 4th grade teacher, and my college roommate and I are in a store shopping for Fig Newtons. You know, that type of dream. The most recent one, there were a bunch of people roaming around the property where we live, doing a variety of things, i.e., yard work, painting the garage, etc., and it was very crazy and hectic and at some point I wandered up on the front porch and found Dad sitting on a lounge chair with Merle, the cat – Dad loved Merle. So I sat down with him to rest and talk. It was nice. But then the alarm went off and I missed him again.

4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42

I should have bought a lottery ticket yesterday.   Over lunch, I went to the AT&T store to pre-order my iPhone.  When I got there, a woman came up and offered to help me.  I told her why I was there and she asked me my name (as she scribbled on a piece of paper on a clipboard).  I said, "Rosemary" and she squealed "Oh, my gosh!  MY name is Rosemary!"    Ok, the Julies and Kellys of the world might be thinking… so?  But there aren't so many Rosemary's out there that I encounter them all that often, so when I do, it's an OMG! experience.   Well, as it turns out, the wait would have been too long, since I was on my lunch hour – Steve may not notice if I'm a couple of minutes late, but he might notice a two-hour lunch!  So I trundle off and forget the whole episode.  Until later…   After work, despite the fact that it is pouring down rain and lightning is striking right where I appear to be driving, I decided I really oughta stop by the specialty pet food place and pick up some food for my four-footed, furry fiends at home.  I brave the elements and get inside the store.  The clerk is helping another person, but I'm ok waiting because it's dry and cool inside and I figure my chances of being struck by lightning inside the store are less than inside the car.  While I'm waiting, another lady comes in and starts roaming around the store.    Finally, it's my turn to be helped and I ask about the food I'd pre-ordered and I'm told that due to the storm it's still at the Newburgh store – hasn't made it to this store yet.  I'm like, ok, I'll come back later.  And the clerk asks my name, so she can make a note.  I say, "Rosemary" and the lady who came in after me squeals, "Oh, My, God!!  MY name is Rosemary!!"   Ok, at this point I'm thinking what are the odds?  I wish a knew a statistician.  I told Rosemary that she was the SECOND Rosemary I'd come across so far that day and that I was beginning to think I should go buy a lottery ticket or something.  She agreed that it certainly sounded like the universe was telling me something and wished me luck.   Unfortunately, as I was getting back in the car, a chicken crossed the road in front of me, and I forgot completely about getting a lottery ticket.  So I'm guessing the universe is shaking its head at me and giving up on helping me win the lottery.  I'm not sure what numbers I'd have picked anyway.  The Lost numbers are passé.  I suppose the quick pick option would have been as good anything.  Either way, that damn chicken was very expensive.  Damn chicken!

Livin’ Single

I've been bach'ing it since Friday.   Last week, Sib #1 (in chronological order only, I'm not opening THAT can of worms!), Holly, and her daughter Natalie came down to visit and do things to help around the house.  The basement has never looked so good!  Then, when they left, they packed up mom and took her with them.  I'll admit it, I was looking forward to the time alone.    I used to live alone, until last November, when I moved back home with mom after dad died in July.  My biggest concern about the move, other than having to do an inordinate amount of yard work, was that I really liked being alone.  I'm not one of those people who have to have someone with them in order to eat in a restaurant or to go see a movie.  I have a friend who swears that she has never gone to a movie by herself.  I'm thinking that I wouldn't get to see many movies if I had to wait for someone to go with.  For one thing, I have a very unique taste in movies.   Plus, if I need conversation, I'm not above having a conversation with myself.  And Yes, I do generally respond.  I'm not coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs, I realize there's no one there actually responding.  I like to say that talking to myself is my only source for intelligent communication, but let's face it, I'm known to ramble and get distracted easily, so mostly it's consists of "OMG, did you see that chicken!?"  Since I got the cats, almost five years ago, I just talk to them if I need to talk.  I can't just talk to myself, it would be rude to leave them out of the conversation, right?   Part of why I liked living alone is lack of accountability.  I can change my plans at the drop of a hat (or a chicken, as the case may be) and not have to notify a living soul (I had to get rid of the cats' phone, too many LD calls to Katmandu).  Another good part of living alone is the ability to do as much or as little house work as you stinkin' well want to and WHEN you want to.  Plus, if you want to have a bowl of the aforementioned Cocoa Puffs for dinner, there's no one there to judge you. (Plus there's no one to fight over the toy surprise from the Cocoa Puff box.)  If I wanted to come home, eat a nice unhealthy meal in my pj's, and watch TV until midnight all while working on my farm, it was ok by the ruling majority of the household.   So after I moved back home, we had the initial excitement of joining my two-cat household with mom's one-cat household, and the hilarity which ensued; then the holidays; then mom got pneumonia and Sophie went into liver failure.  Fortunately, everything seems to have settled down now, and the five of us have settled into a peaceful life.   Still, I was on board for the plan for mom to take a week to go north and vaca with the Sibs.  They left Friday, after mom got an all clear from her doctor (totally different story and possibly another blog, we'll see.)  Friday night, on the way home from work, I called Pizza the Hut for a carry-out pizza.  Now first, let me point out that when I called the PH number stored in my phone, I got the PH near my old apartment.  This means I haven't had carry-out pizza since November.  Oiy!   The pizza and I arrived home to 2 sleepy cats.  I say 2 because Winifred was nowhere to be seen.  I made sure she wasn't locked in a closet or the basement and then proceeded to not worry about her.  I ate my dinner, watched some tube, and by about 8pm, I was bored.  Saturday morning, I got up, washed and changed my sheets, cut up the rest of the watermelon and the pineapple for weeklong munching, did the dishes, scooped the litter boxes, and took out the trash.  Again I was bored, so I took a nap in the lawn chair in the sun then went into town to go see The A-Team movie.  Came home, went to bed early.  Sunday, after getting home from church, I mowed the lawn, watered the tomato and cucumber plants, took a shower, and took a nap.  Wasn't so much bored as tired from working in the heat.  I watched some tube and went to bed early.  Are you sensing a pattern here?    So much like any vacation, I am enjoying myself, but will be ready to get back to the real world when mom returns (or rather, I go pick her up) on Saturday.  I think the cats will be really happy to see her.  I haven't been that entertaining to them so far.  But at least I've seen Winifred!

The First Step is Acknowledging You Have a Problem

I have a problem.  I spend far too much time playing games on my computer.  I regularly maintain three farms, 2 mafias, a café, and I dig for Treasure on three different accounts.    The signs were all there.  Mom looking for me, would always find me at my computer.  My sweet baby girl, Sophie, who I could have easily lost this past winter, coming and pawing at my legs for attention.  At work, with the installation of a new computer system, came restrictions on access to the internet, resulting in withdrawal symptom-like, uh… symptoms.  People emailing me on Facebook asking me just how many games I play online.  (Ok, honestly, that one didn't bother me all that much – if my "excessive" game postings bother you, either block the game from your news feed, block me entirely, or get over it.)   The big sign that I have a problem, though, is the fact that it's aggravating my carpal tunnel.  It's getting distressingly difficult to harvest my crops with my hand going numb.  Well, that and everyone tells me that I have a BIG addiction coming my way…I'm even inviting it into my life… i.e., the iPhone.     So I took a census of all the games I have participated in on Facebook, now or in the past.  The Vampire Wars and the Pirate Wars went easily and quickly, as I haven't played them in a long time.  Same with Farm Town.  Remember a year ago when I was just acknowledging THAT addiction?  But since the removal of those three didn't hurt, we have to get rid of something that will make an impact.    So get ready, here it is.  I am dropping out of Mafia Wars, for both mine and Sophie's accounts.   That's saying something, too, I was at level 407!  And I am no longer going to actively work Dad and Sophie's farms.  Although if I decide to do a job, like the one where the prize was a grape sheep, I will reserve the right to nationalize Dad's farm because I need someone to help on the job.  Sophie isn't at a level high enough to do jobs, so she's safe.   I am keeping my farm on FarmVille for a variety of reasons.  1) They come out with the most adorable theme-related sheep and gnomes, two of my favorite things; 2) Zynga will be coming out with a FarmVille app for the iPhone at the end of the month, and I'm going to want to farm using that, at least until the novelty wears off; and 3) they have fun seasonal/holiday items which I like to collect and decorate my farm in an eclectic manner.  Martha Stewart probably wouldn't approve, but, I don't care.   I will continue to search for treasure on Treasure Madness, but only on MY account.  I will only continue to maintain Dad and Sophie's collections for organ harvesting, er… treasure harvesting, and for free health kits when no one else gives me one.    Finally, I will not get rid of my Café in Café World, because it's just too cute with my Elvis impersonator and my dragon and my kitty clock with the swinging tail and googly eyes, but I plan on leaving the stoves idle.   And, while I'm at it, I think I will investigate getting myself a kitty clock with a swinging tail and googly eyes for real life!   There you have it.  We'll see how much of an impact this makes and whether more steps are necessary.

I'll Call You Betty, and You Can Call Me... Well, Don't Call Me

We have this new (relatively) person at our office.  Actually, if you read my blog about a month or so ago regarding the woman who put in her notice and then just stopped coming back to work, the new person is the woman they hired to replace her.  I'm pretty sure she came from a temp agency, but I don't dare hope that that means that we'll be rid of her after a certain amount of time.   First of all, let's give her a name.  The last one was Abigail, I believe, so let's name this one Betty and hope that there aren't 24 more coming behind her.   I generally have an open mind toward new people and give them the opportunity to annoy me before beginning to hate them, so the first week was pretty ok.  She was just getting to know people, and vice versa.  It was the second week that I started thinking that I'm going to have to hate her.  What follows are snippets of conversations, after a little bit of background, I have had with this woman which have led me to this conclusion.   Exhibit A - at the end of her second week, one of our co-workers (Shawna) was having her 30th birthday and another girl (Amy) and I were coordinating having a few decorations and munchies being brought in.  I decided to bring in a crock-pot with the Velveeta/Rotel tomatoes dip and chips.   As I'm over in Shawna and "Betty's" area decorating the night before, I was telling Shawn (our office manager/the woman who taught me how to knit) what munchies were coming as far as I knew and I mentioned my Velveeta stuff and that I generally fry up a pound of sausage and add it in there – after all, I am, if nothing else, a carnivore.  Betty – oh, you shouldn't put sausage in it. Me – because..? Betty – we have several vegetarians here, you know (like I haven' worked here for 9 plus years) Me (sort of flabbergast) – uh… Shawn – well, we only have two vegetarians, and I'm one of them, and I don't care if she puts meat in it. Betty – Well, and I'm leery of meat. (Like what does that mean? Does she peer around corners in case there's a T-bone waiting to pounce?) Me – yeah, well, I'll think about it.   So this really bothered me.  I mean, I wanted to put my sausage in it, and here this newbie has me second guessing myself.  I talked to mom about it, and she asked how many people would be eating this… I said that we have about 60 people working at our office.  Mom further asked again how many vegetarians there were, I told her two… and Betty is leery of meat.  Mom said that I could either put the meat in and not worry about it, or go ahead and fry the meat, and put it in a bowl near the cheese, so people could choose.  As I was putting the dip together the next morning, I said (to myself, as mom was still asleep), to heck with Betty!   So, I got to work and set up the food.  Shawna and Amy got there early, and I told them about the whole "leery of meat" conversation, because frankly I was still blown away that someone still very new to the place would be so pushy.  Later Shawna sneaks over to my desk to tell me that Betty, upon watching Shawna make herself a plate of chips and (sausage filled) dip, asked her if there were meat in the dip.  Shawna (being privy to the whole incident) said, "Yes, and it is great!" shoving a chip in her mouth!   Exhibit B – I generally exhibit a happy persona.  I don't feel the need to share my thoughts and other issues with the world, just with my few close friends and the world via my blog.  Consequently, people become used to me being happy and perky…. Just not until after 10 am or so.  The problem with this is that if I am tired or just don't feel like putting forth the effort of being "on," people assume that there's something wrong with me, that I'm either upset or sick.  In reality, I'm just sitting there breathing.  Depending on my mood, it can really piss me off when someone comes over and asks if I'm ok because I'm just not myself today.  Inside I'm thinking that I AM being myself, it's the rest of the time that they're looking at the façade that isn't me.  Whoa, I'm getting borderline deep, here, so I better get back to my shallow rants.   Anyway, during the third week of Betty's employment, she comes over to me, not once, but twice in the same day, and Betty – are you ok? Me – yes..? Betty – well, you just don't seem yourself today. Me – I'm fine.   Ok, nothing can ruin my mood faster than to have someone tell me I'm in a bad mood… especially Betty, who I was in the process of deciding whether or not to be leery of.   Hahahahaha!  I mean, even prior to the whole sausage incident, we'd exchanged maybe 5 conversations?  In two weeks!  This woman doesn't KNOW me.  Why does SHE think she can judge my mood!?   Well, after the second "are you ok?" incident, she must've got the message and she left me alone for, oh, probably the next couple of weeks.  However, (and I have to laugh at this), she started in on Shawna with the "are you ok?'s")  I feel for Shawna, as she has to work across from Betty.  But then I remember that Shawna's getting ready to be gone on vacation for a week later this month, and if Betty has problems, or gets lonely, you just KNOW she's heading my way… so I don't feel for Shawna as much.   Exhibit C – Yesterday, I come back from lunch with a box of cat food samples.  There was an incident on Wednesday when Jennifer and I went to lunch.  It was my turn to drive and upon returning her safely to her office, afterwards, Jennifer opened the car door and shrieks upon seeing a mouse sitting right there IN MY CAR, at the door.  The mouse is no longer in my car, as Jennifer booted it out the door with her umbrella, but I was LEERY of leaving the cat food in my car, in case Mickey had a friend who had yet to pop his mangy little head out of hiding.    Back to yesterday, as I come around the corner to my desk, this other girl, Melanie comes toward my desk from the opposite way, sees the box in my arms and: Melanie - What'cha got in the box!? Me - Cat food samples. Melanie (with eyes big and wide) - Really? (she seen the McDonald's bag full of trash on the top of the box and thought they'd put the samples in it) Me - Yeah (removing the trash and tossing it) but I had a mouse in my car yesterday… (At this point, Betty appears OUT OF NOWHERE) Betty - Oh, yeah, you wouldn't want to leave cat food in the car with a mouse in there. Me (looking at Melanie and ignoring Betty) - … so I didn't want to leave it in the car, in case he's still there. Mel - Really?!  A mouse! Betty - Where do you shop? Me (to Mel) - Yes, I drove my friend Jennifer and I to lunch and as I was letting her out back at the office, she shrieked and said there what a mouse in the car!  And I asked if it was still there (thinking it ran when she shrieked as I was tempted to)…. Betty - And she said NOT ANY LONGER! Hahahaha! Me (beginning to be really peeved) - … and she pushed him out the door with her umbrella handle and said "not any longer"   At this point, Melanie, probably sensing that I was feeling homicidal and she didn't want to be my first victim, wandered off… so Betty resumes interrogating me about what brand of cat food and where I shop, etc.   I'll be sure to keep you informed of more Betty related events (as there will, no doubt, be plenty), but as for now, I have officially decided that I do not like her, Sam I Am.  I will not like her in the rain, I will not like her on a train, I will not like her on a boat, I will not like her with a goat.  You get the point.

iPhone, Therefore I Am

Apologies to Descartes for the misappropriation of his famous epiphany, but I saw this in a cartoon online and found it funny.  Frankly, I was looking for cute cartoon to post with this blurb, but no luck - they all seemed to be making some social commentary about people being more interested in their iPhones than the fact that there are people starving in Africa.  None of them really expressed the joie de vivre with which I was filled upon hearing today's announcement that the new iPhone will be out on June 24th!!   You will recall from previously blog entries, that Rose wants an iPhone.  Well, Rose's mom generally gives Rose hard cash for her birthday, so Rose confirmed that this would again be the plan and after confirming that funding was forthcoming, Rose proceeded to bubble in unbridled anticipation for Apple to get off the stick and make the announcement of when the new one would be out.  After all, no point in getting the current model if a newer better model will be out in a couple of months, eh?  Unfortunately, the unbridled anticipation has been wearing a wee bit thin lately because, DUH!  ROSE WANTS AN iPHONE!    I'm already contemplating whether or not I should take the 24th off.  Let's face it, I'm not going to get any work done that day.  Say I plan on getting it over my lunch hour, well, the hours before the lunch hour will be sheer agony and I'll be sitting here pretending to work while in fact I will be watching the clock, praying that the store doesn't run out before I get there... sigh...  And then after I get it, I'm not going to work, I'll sit here and pretend to work all the while playing with it.  So in an attempt to preserve the lifestyle to which I have become accustomed (not to mention paying for the monthly data charges), I probably ought to just count the day as a loss and plan on taking off.   I have to point out the irony (you know, like goldy and bronzy, only made of iron) at my anticipation over a new  phone.  Everyone (especially my devoted readers - Hi! Heather, Becky and Steve!) knows that I HATE talking on the telephone.  My heart is filled with dread everytime I sense my boss (a different Steve) working around to having me call someone for something.  So let's face it, the phone part of the iPhone is totally inconsequential to Rose.  But I plan on being able to update my Facebook status anytime, day or night!  And Apple also announced that Farmville will be available on the iPhone by the end of the month, so I can work on my farm anytime, day or night!    Rose is SO excited!!